"I know you're nervous. You don't have to do this."

"I do. I have to. Virginia is our only lead right now."

"Yes, but we can still find another way."

"How? You can't exactly break into the mental ward and compel her for answers."

"She might be unstable; one wrong move and she could hurt you. You can't even defend yourself in there…"

"That's why you're my gallant doctor, you can come swooping in to save me."

"Bonnie…"

"Look. I'm going to be as patient as I need to be. I need to gradually get on her good side. Like you said, she's probably unstable. I mean, her own sister acts like she doesn't exist. I'd be pretty messed up too if I was her. But she doesn't know me at all, that's an advantage. She knows about Lucy and the Bennett bloodline. She needs someone to talk to about why Alex had her locked up. She needs a friend. I can be that."

*he turns his face away*

"Hey. I'm going to be fine. Trust me."

"I know, but the type of people there...the atmosphere. It gets to you."

"I've been through worse pain. A little depression and isolation can't take me out."

*he simply nods and swallows*

"Besides, it's not like we won't be able to see each other. We just have to be careful around these people. If anything happens to me, the orderlies will let my doctor know immediately."

"They'll meet a fateful end if they don't."

"Okay, that's a bit dramatic."

"No risks, Bonnie."

*she meets his stern look*

"Alright."

*it's quiet while they sort through and pack her belongings. a letter falls out of a book and he picks it up*

"Why am I not surprised…"

"I tried. I really tried. I just…" *she fumbles* "I've thought about it a lot. Burning it will mean that I've forgotten him and just erased him from my mind. But that's too easy. Keeping it… it's like a reminder for me. A reminder to not trust the wrong people. I can't afford to make that mistake, not when my life is at risk yet again."

"You're allowed to miss him, Bonnie."

"I did. And it hurt. But now and then when the thought of him pops up, I just feel emptiness. He made his choice and I'll never see him again and I've come to accept that. I'm never going to see two of my best friends ever again and there's nothing I can do about it."

*he puts the letter down and holds her tightly while she sobs*

"You and I both know your days are numbered. But I'm not going anywhere, love. You will eventually age physically but you should know that I'm an old, rotten sod in the body of a twenty seven year old; and you still fell in love with me. We're in this for the long haul."

*she looks up and lightly caresses his cheek*

"When Elena wakes up, she's going to read all about your adventures and she'll know you had a happy life. As for Damon, well, I could punch him in the face, if you'd like."

"That's the nicest offer you've ever made me."

"Only the best for you."

*she sits up and dries her eyes*

"You're not alone in this fight, Bonnie. You never have to be alone anymore. I love you."

*she takes his face in her hands and breathes out slowly*

"I love you, too."

"Hey. Butterfingers. More stabby, less zone-outy"

Enzo is shook out of his reverie by Damon's sharp tone. In their hands are blood-stained knives and several corpses are strewn around them.

"Can't wait to hang the decorations up, honey" Damon prattles in a sing-song voice, cheerfully slitting the throat of their nth victim and tossing the body to the side for them to hang later.

Enzo stays frozen before he realizes where he is, and hurriedly continues their task.

"Someone getting a lil homesick, eh?" Damon asks at length, failing to mask his curiosity.

Enzo merely smirks as he slices "Not at all. This routine somehow never gets old, hard to get tired of it."

"Yep, can't disagree there." Damon says, happily popping the 'p'.

"I'm taking the bodies to the far side, getting a bit cluttered here, if you ask me" Enzo says, getting up abruptly.

"Okie dokie" Damon responds, not bothering to look up.

Enzo grabs a couple of bodies and vamp-speeds to the other end of the massive underground parking lot. When he's sure Damon can't hear him, he drops the bodies and falls to his knees, breathing deeply. It takes a couple of moments for him to stop shaking.

He hates himself for breaking her promise. He left her and he had no choice. But he knows she'll be looking for him and Damon. Stefan and Caroline will be with her, she won't be entirely alone. It's small comfort but that's all he has for now.

He doesn't know how he started coming back to himself, and why. Damon's showing no progress, so why him? All he knows is that he needs to get her back.

"Wait for me, Bonnie. Our story is not over yet."